Suspect in Songkran shooting surrenders

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A Bangkok man was arrested for allegedly shooting to death the friend of another man who hit on his girlfriend.

Accompanied by his father, Chairat Chansawang, 24, surrendered to police May 3 for the early April 20 shooting of Suwijak Prasert in front of the SB Karaoke on Naklua Soi 7.

Police alleged that Chairat and a group of friends had been partying at the nearby Differ pub when one of Suwijak’s pals made advances on the Bangkok man’s girlfriend, setting off an argument.

Chairat Chansawang (center) proclaims his innocence in the murder of Suwijak Prasert.Chairat Chansawang (center) proclaims his innocence in the murder of Suwijak Prasert.

Chairat told police he didn’t want a confrontation, so he and his friends, in town for Pattaya’s Songkran finale earlier that day, jumped in a pickup truck and went back to their hotel, then left for Bangkok. He claimed he was not the shooter.

Police, however, allege Chairat did, in fact, leave the pub, but came back in the pickup after dropping off his friends at the hotel. He wanted to confront the man who asked for his girlfriend’s phone number, but found only Suwijak. So he shot him instead.

Police filed murder charges against Chairat, but he was granted bail.